1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically silencing a telephone ringer. In accordance with one of its aspects, the invention relates to apparatus for placing a telephone's ringer under the control of a 24-hour timer so that once the timer is set, the ringer will be automatically silenced for one or more prescribed periods of time on a daily basis. In accordance with another of its aspects, the invention relates to apparatus for automatically silencing a telephone ringer in conjunction with the setting and shutting off of an alarm clock. In accordance with a further aspect, the invention relates to apparatus for silencing a telephone's ringer in conjunction with both a 24-hour timer and the operation of an alarm clock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
People have been annoyed at certain times of the day by the ringing of a telephone ever since telephones came into their homes and offices. Some people have used home remedies to avoid this disturbance and prevent the telephone from ringing. For example, they have placed the telephone where they could not hear it, they have left the receiver off the hook and they have set the ringer at its lowest possible volume. The telephone company has even provided an option whereby the telephone installer can set the lowest ringer volume to be essentially inaudible and thus off.
A major drawback with each of these remedies is that it is always necessary for the user to remember to employ the remedy and silence the telephone and then remember to reactivate it. None of these methods perform either the on or off function automatically on their own. As a result, people either forget to turn the ringer off and thus receive calls at annoying times or forget to turn the ringer back on and thus miss calls they are willing to receive.
Over the years a number of patents have issued, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,481,840, 3,867,584 and 3,982,072, relating specifically to the problem of silencing telephone ringers. None of these patents, however, have provided a practical way of automatically turning the ringer on and off at preselected times on a daily basis. Nor has the apparatus described in these patents provided a way to silence a telephone's ringer in conjunction with the setting and shutting off of an alarm clock. Moreover, the apparatus described in these patents would require physical wiring into the telephone system which would be difficult for the average user to do, or would lead, typically, to "howling" from the telephone. In addition, much of this apparatus is unduly complicated and would be prohibitively expensive to manufacture and market to consumers on a broad scale.
In recent years some commercial devices have been marketed directed to silencing telephone ringers. In particular, Saxton Products of Congers, N.Y. and Zoom Telephonics, Inc. of Boston, Mass. have offered add-on switches to turn the ringer off. Such switches are no better than the telephone company's option of having the lowest ringer volume be inaudible. Moreover, the instructions which accompany these switches describe taking apart some portion of the telephone system with tools and rewiring so that the apparatus will operate, and thus are difficult for the average person to use.